International Energy Experts from Japan, Saudi Arabia and UAE to Analyze Hydrogen Markets in Asia, Europe and the GCC Region Ìı

Khalifa University has announced the UAE Chapter of the International Association for Energy Economics (UAE-IAEE) will organize a webinar on the role of hydrogen in a global context to highlight the opportunities and challenges for hydrogen as a key energy sector in Asia, Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The webinar, titled ‘Hydrogen in a Global Context’, will be held on 21 April at 5pm in the UAE (9am EST), and will be moderated by Dr. Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice President for Research and Development, and Professor of Practice, Khalifa University. Panelists will include Professor Masakazu Toyoda, Chairman and CEO, The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan; Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter, Chief Technology Officer, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia; and Robin Mills, CEO, Qamar Energy, UAE.

Dr. Griffiths said: “Khalifa University is pleased to organize this webinar and highlight the immense potential for hydrogen in the local, regional and international markets. With government and private stakeholders committed to producing hydrogen through low-carbon sources, this platform will highlight some of the most recent advances in the commercial development of hydrogen as well as forward-looking challenges and opportunities.�

Panelists will discuss wide-ranging issues including Japan’s hydrogen strategy and the opportunities and challenges for developing a hydrogen market from a hydrogen importer perspective, as well as Saudi Aramco’s hydrogen plans and its ambitions domestically and internationally from a hydrogen exporter perspective. Panelists will also share their perspectives on the developing hydrogen markets in Europe and the GCC region, as well as opportunities for GCC-Europe and GCC-Asia cooperation in hydrogen.

As a leading research-intensive institution, Khalifa University is already collaborating with the IEEJ and Kyushu University on concepts for the development of low-carbon hydrogen for domestic use and international export. . In addition, the Abu Dhabi Hydrogen Alliance, with stakeholders including Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC), Mubadala Investment Company and the holding company ADQ, are planning to produce both green hydrogen and blue hydrogen – which is produced from natural gas – to export to emerging international markets. Aligned with this initiative, Khalifa University is currently working with ADNOC on designs for large-scale low-carbon hydrogen research to be jointly conducted in Abu Dhabi.

According to estimates, the global hydrogen market could be worth as much as US$200 billion by the year 2030. Hydrogen could help countries globally achieve their ambitions to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, particularly through utilization in sectors such as chemicals, steel, refining, air travel, shipping, and heavy-duty road transport. Hydrogen use is expected to increase significantly in the near future as the world turns to cleaner sources of energy.

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
18 April 2021

The post UAE Chapter of IAEE to Organize Webinar on Role of Hydrogen in a Global Context on 21 April appeared first on Khalifa University.

Research into advanced materials at Khalifa University is unlocking a number of new technologies that can be used to generate and store renewable energy more efficiently.

Dr. Nirpendra Singh, Assistant Professor of Physics at Khalifa University, and colleagues recently published three papers that investigate the development of materials with a number of applications for renewable energy.

These papers explore new materials that could help improve the performance of thermoelectric materials capable of converting heat into electricity more efficiently, and sulphur-based batteries with high energy densities that could replace traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Understanding Phonon Dynamics of Copper Pseudohalides

A team consisting of to determine how effective they are in conducting the heat. Their study was published in the journal .Ìı

Phonon transport of materials plays a significant role in determining their thermoelectric performance. Dr. Singh’s team investigated two copper-based compounds – copper thiocyanate (CuSCN) and copper selenocyanate (CuSeCN) – which are candidates for inexpensive large-area photovoltaic use, but until now, have not been deeply studied for phonon transport. The research team comprehensively determines phonon thermal transport with the most sophisticated computational approach available to date. The electron localization function profile is used to explain phonon softening, which was found to be the leading cause of low in-plane lattice thermal conductivity. The high phonon scattering rates in CuSeCN give rise to lower lattice thermal conductivity than CuSCN, suggesting its better thermoelectric performance, Dr. Singh explained.Ìı

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Lead-free Double Perovskite Cs2PtI6: A Promising Thermoelectric Material

While transparent materials are vital for renewable energy harvesting, thermoelectric materials are crucial for turning heat – either heat from the sun or waste heat from power plants and cars – into renewable energy. One promising thermoelectric material is double perovskite Cs2Ptl6, a lead-free hybrid material containing cesium and platinum.Ìı

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Dr. Singh, Dr. Muhammad Sajjad, and Dr. J. Andreas Larsson from the Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, in work recently published in the journal .

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The researchers found that the Cs2Ptl6 shows high thermoelectric performance at and above room temperature and is therefore worth exploring for thermoelectric applications. Cs2PtI6 has a lattice thermal conductivity that is 8-fold smaller than that of the commercial thermoelectric material Bi2Te3. Nanostructuring and alloying of Cs2Ptl6 can lead to further improvement in thermoelectric performance, possibly making it useful for conventional thermoelectric generators.Ìı For future energy needs, finding alternative and better thermoelectric materials is critically needed, Dr. Singh said.Ìı

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Polar C2N Sheet: A Potential Electrode Enhancer in Sodium–Sulfur Batteries

With clean renewable energy production comes the need for energy storage since renewable energy supply is intermittent. Currently, metal-ion batteries are used, but low energy density and relatively high cost limit their viability for large-scale usage.

Alkali metal-sulfur batteries have emerged as a promising option, especially in applications requiring high energy storage capacity. However, one issue with metal-sulfur batteries is the so-called ‘shuttle effect.’ In the shuttle effect, metal particles called polysulphides dissolve into the battery’s electrolyte and are transported from the sulfur cathode to the metal anode. This results in a reduction in capacity and charging performance of the battery.

Finding a way to suppress the shuttle effect is crucial to metal-sulfur battery performance and lifetime.. They published their findings in the journal.

The 2D materials the team investigated were nitrogenated holey graphene (C2N) and nonpolar polyaniline (C3N). Both C2N and C3N are 2D nanostructures, which can help to anchor the metal polysulphides to the sulfur cathode and improve the electric conduction of the sulphur cathode in metal-sulfur batteries.

The researchers found that C2N was a stronger anchor than C3N, paving the way for a cost-effective C2N nanosheet as an anchoring material for the high-energy and high-capacity batteries needed for large-scale photovoltaic energy storage.

As energy consumption continues to rise, finding new materials that can make renewable solar energy generation and storage cleaner and more efficient will be key to meeting the world’s growing energy demands sustainably.

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Jade Sterling
Science Writer
12 April 2021

The post Getting More Clean Energy with New Materials appeared first on Khalifa University.

The new book contains 11 essays from leading experts in the field of energy system dynamics

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Dr. Li-Chen Sim, Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at Khalifa University, and Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar Energy and Fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy, have edited detailing how the transition to low-carbon energy in the Middle East impacts the energy system dynamics of the region. Their new book is titled.

“The book explores the evolving roles of energy stakeholders and geopolitical considerations, leveraging on the dizzying array of planned and actual projects for solar, wind, hydropower, waste-to-energy, and nuclear power in the region,� explained Dr. Sim. “Over the next few decades, favorable economics for low carbon energy sources combined with stagnant oil demand growth will facilitate a shift away from today’s fossil fuel-based energy system. Will the countries of the Middle East and North Africa be losers or leaders in this energy transition? Will state-society relations undergo a change as a result?�

Compiled by editors Dr. Li-Chen Sim and Robin Mills, the new book contains 11 essays from leading experts in their fields, discussing topics ranging from the rise of renewables in the Gulf states to the development of clean electricity supply in Egypt.

“Our book will interest academics working in the fields of international relations and politics, energy economics, and business,� said Dr. Sim. “Consultants, practitioners, policy-makers, and risk analysts will also find the insights helpful. It suggests that ultimately, politics, more so than economics or environmental pressure, will determine the speed, scope, and effects of low-carbon energy uptake in the region.�

“This book compellingly illustrates how the transition to renewable and nuclear energy may fundamentally change the energy system dynamics of a region that has long been known for hydrocarbon-dependence and political strife,â€� added Dr. Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice President, Research and Development.Ìı

Jade Sterling
Science Writer
30 March 2021

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The post New Book Released by Khalifa University Researcher on the Energy System Dynamics of the MENA Region appeared first on Khalifa University.

Using a recycled aluminium alloy to store the heat from the day’s sunshine allows the MISP to produce electricity 24/7

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The world is moving continuously towards using sources of energy that are more sustainable than the fossil fuels on which we predominantly rely today. Solar power is one of the most promising renewable energy technologies, especially in the UAE, allowing the generation of electricity from free, inexhaustible sunlight. But even though the sun shines every day, this resource is subject to supply fluctuations. Further, every night when the sun sets, as it inevitably does, the supply of solar energy ceases until the next morning.

Conventional batteries based on electrochemical storage can charge from solar energy during the day and provide power for a few hours at night, but their economical discharge duration is limited and they are made of critical materials that are not available in infinite supply.

However, a team from Khalifa University, in collaboration with Swedish solar energy company Azelio, and Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company), has drawn inspiration from this need for energy storage innovation and applied it to a natural process: the phase change of materials.

During the day when there is a lot of sun, solar energy is used to produce cheap electricity (photovoltaic panels) or provide some combination of heat and electricity (concentrated solar power (CSP). This sustainable energy can be used to melt a Phase Change Material or PCM. When temperatures drop off, those materials cool and re-solidify, releasing their latent heat in the process. A stirling engine can then convert this heat back to electricity on demand. The team aims to leverage this phase transition process using an alloy of aluminum to provide thermal powered electricity at night, after the sun goes down.

“This is the first demonstration of the Azelio technology and we’re looking at proving the long term viability of the system. We need to guarantee that it will last at least 25 years and that’s what we’re expecting. So we will evaluate the TESpod System during a full year of operation, collecting data and checking performances. We’re very excited about this installation as it uses recycled aluminium alloy and will be a game-changer in renewable energy,� said Dr. Nicolas Calvet, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at KU.

Dr. Calvet and his team have placed an aluminium alloy at the center of the Azelio’s energy storage system at the Masdar Institute Solar Platform (MISP), the UAE’s first solar platform dedicated to research and development of CSP and thermal energy storage (TES) technologies.Ìı

This is how the Azelio TES technology works: Photovoltaic panels generate cheap electricity during the day. This electricity is used to melt the PCM using an electrical resistance heater. This same concept is possible using wind energy or excess grid electricity as well. Another configuration can use direct heat from CSP by leveraging generated heat to melt the aluminium alloy. When electricity is needed, the alloy is allowed to cool and resolidify, releasing heat that is then used to generate electricity.

“The Azelio Stirling engine is converting about 29 percent of the latent heat stored in aluminium alloy to make electricity, making Azelio’s TESPod system very cost competitive when charged with inexpensive solar energy,� explained Dr. Calvet. “This will allow us to produce 50 kW of electricity 24/7, meaning the MISP can generate its own energy during the day and during the night become energy independent.

The MISP was inaugurated in 2015 in recognition of the increasingly important role CSP and TES will play in achieving the UAE’s renewable energy target of generating 44 percent of its energy mix from renewable sources by 2050. With its one-of-a-kind 100kW beam-down solar concentrator facility among other, the MISP aims to provide local and international research institutes and solar and energy storage companies the opportunity to research, test and validate new CSP & TES components and systems, increasing efficiency, driving and driving down the costs of technologies that can withstand the UAE’s harsh desert climate.

Jade Sterling
Science Writer
7 December 2021

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Study Outlines Favorable Prospects for Hydrogen Mobility in UAE

Air Liquide, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Al-Futtaim Motors released a joint study during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2019, on the ‘Medium to Long Term development of Hydrogen Mobility in the UAE’. This collaborative study outlines the contribution of hydrogen to the energy transition and demonstrates the favorable prospects for hydrogen mobility in the UAE.

The study demonstrates that hydrogen mobilityÌıin the UAE hasÌıa substantial potential to develop into a major economy for the country, and can contribute to the achievement of its clean energy goals, in line with the UAE’s Vision 2021. The study was conducted by Maram Awad, a Khalifa University graduate student during her summer internship with Air Liquid. Awad was guided by Olivier Boucat of Air Liquide, and Dr Ahmed Al Hajaj, Assistant Professor, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University.

The study reiterates the UAE’s commitment to diversifying the energy sources, and calls for the pivotal collaboration of the various public and private players for a successful deployment of hydrogen mobility. It also demonstrates the requirement for an initial focus on fleet vehicles, such as buses, trucks and taxis, which would generate enough hydrogen need for an optimized production scale. The use of local sources of hydrogen in addition to excess hydrogenÌıproduced in various industries, such as refining, can also contribute to very competitive costs of hydrogen for commercialization.

Air Liquide isÌıleading the hydrogen supply for the Hydrogen Mobility market in the UAE, with ongoing projects to develop the hydrogen infrastructure, connecting hydrogen production sources and utilization routes.

Hydrogen is an alternative to fossil fuels in addressing the clean transportationÌıchallenge while improving air quality. Used within a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen from the air, to produce electricity, with water as the only byproduct. The fuel cell is used to convert hydrogen into energy to run an electric motor in vehicles known as Fuel Cell Electric VehiclesÌı(FCEV). FCEVs are considered complementary to Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), especially in large fleets of vehicles, in heavy duty vehicles and in providing greater autonomy in extreme climates, where BEVs are less efficient. A FCEV can be refuelled as quickly as an internal gas or diesel combustion engine vehicle, hence allowing for optimum flexibility of use.

Hydrogen as a transportation fuel has gained momentum globally for its emission-free property and its ease of use. The deployment of hydrogen powered vehicles is already in progress and expanding in the United States, Europe, Japan and Korea, and is now being introduced in the UAE.

As a leading research-based institution in the region focused on providing cutting edge technologies in clean energy and sustainability, Khalifa University, through Masdar Institute, remains committed to obtaining solutions for carbon mitigation and climate change especially through innovations in CO2 capture, biofuel, waste-to-energy, energy storage, desalination and solar power.

Air Liquide and Al-Futtaim Motors inaugurated the Middle East’s first hydrogen station in Dubai, in October 2017, to support the deployment of the FCEVs in the UAE. Once deployed on a larger scale, the Fuel Cell Electric technology has the potential to significantly reduce the UAE’s dependence on oil and lower car-generated pollution levels.

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Abu Dhabi

15 January 2019

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